Utility chair



June 28, 1966 c. E. MURCOTT UTILITY CHAIR 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed April 6, 1964 GD GD INVENTOR.

I (HA/H55 E. MURCOTT HTTORNEY United States Patent 3,258,276 UTILITY CHAIR I Charles E. Murcott, Valley Drive, Bay Crest,

Huntington, Long Island, N.Y. Filed Apr. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 357,487 15 Claims. (Cl. 280-47.4)

This invention relates to a chair which, while constructed for a specific purpose, is in fact an all-purpose chair. More particularly, the invention deals with a chair structure employing three U-shaped frames united to form the frame structure of the chair and a supplemental U-shaped foot frame adjustably mounted in one of said first named frames. Still more particularly, the invention deals with a chair structure including a table member adjustable relatively to the seat of the chair and also supportable in an inoperative position within the frame structure of the chair.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a chair made according to my invention showing the table member supported in inoperative position in full lines and indicating an operative position in dotted lines, parts of the chair being broken away and parts in section, the foot frame being shown in inoperative position in full lines and illustrated, in part, in operative position in dotted lines.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of FIG. 1 showing only the table member and with part of the construction broken away.

FIG. 3 is a front view of one half of the chair, the right half, it being understood that the unshown half is identical to that of the half of the chair which is shown.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional View on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1 omitting background showing; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section on the broken line 5-5 of FIG. 1, with part of the construction broken away and in section, this figure illustrating a portion of the foot frame as it would be in the dotted line position shown, in part, in FIG. 1.

The frame of the chair includes three U-shaped tubu lar frames, namely a front frame 10, a rear frame 11 and a handle frame 12. The front and rear frames are connected at their lower portion by forwardly and backwardly extending brace tubes 13, having an upwardly offset portion 14 therein, the tubes 13 being welded to lower downwardly offset ends 15 on the frame 10 and 16 on the frame 11. Welded to the upper crossheads of the frames 10 and 11 are forwardly and backwardly directed tubes 17 open at both ends, for purposes later described. The handle frame 12 has an upper handgrip crosshead 18, note FIG. 3, and the lower ends of the side members of the frame 12 are offset and compressed, as indicated at 19 in FIG. 1, to seat on the side members of the tubular frame 11, this structure being similar to the showing in FIG. 5 of the drawing and, for this reason, is not further illustrated in detail. A bolt 20 is employed to detachably couple the frame 12 for more compact shipment of the chair.

The frame of the chair is further reinforced by the welding of two bars 21 to the upper crossheads of the frames 10 and 11, one of these bars being illustrated in FIG. 1 and the other bar is shown in detail in FIG. 4 of the drawing, the bars being spaced inwardly with respect to the tubes 17. At 22 is shown a seat structure of one type and kind, it being understood, in this connection, that any shape or contour of seat can be employed. In the present illustration, the seat is preferably of a fiberglass or other plastic material and is fashioned to form four depending bosses 23, shown, in part, in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawing, in which are anchored threaded rods 24, which project down through holes in the bars 21 and the seat is secured in position by nuts, as indicated at 25 in FIG. 1 of the drawing. With this construction, it will also be apparent that the seat can be detached from the frame in shipment of the chair.

In addition to the three frames 10, 11 and 12, I also employ a U-shaped tubular footrest frame 26, having parallel side members 27 extending from the crosshead of the frame, to which a footplate 28 is secured, as by bolts 29. Note, in this connection, the showing of one of these couplings clearly in FIG. 5 of the drawing.

Extending from the lower ends of the sides 27 are angularly disposed arm portions 30 joining 27 in rounded portions 31, note FIG. 1 of the drawing. The free ends of the arms 30 include rubber or other cups 32 to finish said ends of the arms. The arms 30, adjacent the rounded portions 31, are pivoted, as seen at 33, to brack- 34, the pivots 33 comprising pins having a drive fit in the brackets 34 and boss extensions 35 on said brackets. The extensions 35 serve to space the arms 30, as well as 27 inwardly with respect to the side members of the frame 10, as clearly noted in FIG. 5 of the drawing. The pivots 33 are at the lower ends of the brackets. The upper offset ends 36 of the brackets are fashioned to partially encircle the side members of the frame, as is clearly noted in FIG. 5 and mounted therein are bolts 37 which operate in one of a number of inwardly set apertures 38 spaced vertically on the side members of the frame 10, as clearly noted in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawing. With this construction, the footrest frame can be arranged in several different heights in the front frame 10 to compensate for different leg lengths of the occupants of the chair.

The brackets 34 constitute part of a front transverse bracing frame by reason of the fact that these brackets are joined by a transverse brace tube 39 welded to the brackets and arranged above the pivots 33. The tube 39 also serves to check swinging pivotal movement of the footrest frame. This frame is shown in inoperative position in full lines in FIG. 1 and the extended operative position is illustrated, in part, in dotted lines in said figure. In this connection, it will be apparent that, in the illustration in FIG. 5 of the drawing, the footrest frame 26 is shown in extended operative position.

Suitably mounted and rotatable on the lower ends 15 of the side members of the frame 10 are front rubber tired wheels 40, the detail structure of which is not dealt with, as wheels of any type and kind of construction can be employed. The axis for one of these wheels is indicated at 41 in FIG. 1 of the drawing.

In FIG. 1 of the drawing, I have shown one of the rear wheels 42 of the chair, which have a suitable swivel mounting 43 in the lower end 16 of the rear frame 11. Mounted on the support 44 for the wheels 42 or on the axis 45 in said support is a suitable braking mechanism illustrated, in part, at 46 in said figure. As these braking mechanisms are known in the art, no detailed showing is deemed to be necessary.

At 47 I have shown a table member comprising a table top 48, to the lower surface of which are coupled two J-shaped tubular frames 49 and 50. These frames have relatively short portions 51 and 52, respectively, mounted on the lower surface of the table top 48 by hearing clips 53 and 54. The frame 49 includes a second bearing clip 55 and the short portion 51 of the frame 49 is free to rotate in the bearing clips 53 and 55. Thus, the frame 49 becomes a swinging or pivoted frame. The frame 50 has an angular offset portion 56, to which another clip 57 is attached. Thus, with this structure, the

frame 50 becomes a rigid frame having no rotatable movement. Extending from the crossheads of both frames 49 and 50 and in parallel relation to 51 and 52 are longer arm portions 58 on the frame 49 and 59 on the frame 50, 58 being illustrated, in part, in FIG. 1 of the drawing and 59 being shown in sectional detail in FIG. 4 of the drawing. The arm 59 is preferably longer than the arm 58 so that, in coupling these arms with the tubes 17 in the manner illustrated in full and dotted lines in FIG. 1 and, in part, in FIG. 4 of the drawing, the longer arm 59 is first inserted into one of the tubes, after which, the arm 58 can be swung for registration with the companion tube 17, thus facilitating coupling and uncoupling of the table member in both of its positions.

Considering FIG. 4 of the drawing, it will appear that the arm 59 has five apertures 60 spaced longitudinally of the outer or side surface thereof and welded to the tube 17 at the right side of the chair, as viewed at the front, is a standard-type of spring actuated pin coupling 61, the pin 62 of which is adapted to operatively engage any one of the apertures 60 in adjustment of the table to different positions when in the operative position, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, as well as to retain the table in its stored position, as illustrated in full lines in FIG. 1. At the free end of the arm 59 is a rounded rubber plug 59' to finish the end of the arm and also to guide the arm in its insertion into the tube 17. A similar plug is provided on the arm 58, as indicated at 58' in FIG. 1 of the draw- In FIG. 4 of the drawing, the arm 59 is shown in full lines in support of the table 47 in the operative position, indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1 and, in dotted lines, I have shown the full line position of the arm 59, as shown in FIG. 1.

The chair structure, as above defined, may well be regarded as a utility chair, in that it will serve many purposes and uses. The chair is designed to replace the usual cumbersome and expensive hospital wheel chair, which is difficult to handle and manipulate by a nurse in simply wheeling a patient from the bedroom to the solarium or other part of the hospital. In some instances, and with the footrest frame in the full line position of FIG. 1 of the drawing, the patient can, with the ability of moving the patients legs, manipulate the chair over a floor for re-positioning, the swiveled rear wheels facilitating automatic turning of the chair and the chair can be propelled by movementof the feet on the floor surface wtih the feet covered with some type of footwear.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that a simple lightweight chair structure can serve many useful purposes in hospitals, convalescing homes and the like.

Aside from the foregoing, a chair of this type and kind can be used in the home or on patios for normal chair use for writing or use to which the table unit 47 can be practically put. By storage of the table unit in the full line position of FIG. 1 of the drawing, the chair is free for movement by a nurse or other party in wheeling another person over any surface. It will also be apparent that vadjustment of the footrest frame will satisfy the comfort of the individual using the chair.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A utility chair of the character defined comprising front and rear U-shaped frames joined by upper and lower tubular brace members joining upper and lower side portions of said front and rear frames, a seat, means for supporting the seat on upper portions of said front and rear frames, a table unit detachably and adjustably coupled with the upper brace tubes of the frame for support of the unit in operative position at the front of the seat and stored position beneath the seat, a handle frame supported in connection with said rear frame and arranged rearwardly of said seat, a pair of Wheels supported 4: in the lower portion of sides of the front frame, and another pair of wheels supported in connection with lower sides of the rear frame.

2. A chair as defined in claim 1, wherein a footrest frame having a transverse foot supporting plate is pivotally supported in connection with the front frame.

3. A chair as defined in claim 2, wherein the pivotal support of the footrest frame comprises a pair of brackets, and a crossbrace tube integrally joining said brackets.

4. A chair as defined in claim 3, wherein means is employed for adjustably supporting the brackets longitudinally of sides of the front frame.

5. A chair as defined in claim 1, wherein said seat supporting means comprises a pair of bars fixed to upper crosshead portions of the front and rear frames, and means detachably coupling the seat with said bars.

6. A chair as defined in claim 1, wherein said table unit comprises a table top, two substantially J-shaped frames mounted in connection with the table top, one frame having a pivotal mounting on the table top, the other frame including means retaining the same against movement on the table top, and said J-shaped frames including tubular arms mounted in the upper tubular brace members of the chair frame in support of the table unit in both operative and stored positions.

7. A chair as defined in claim 6, wherein one of the arms of said J-shaped frames includes longitudinally spaced apertures, and one of said upper brace members having means operatively engaging the apertures of said last named arm in adjustment of the table unit when in operative position.

8. A chair as defined in claim 1, wherein said table unit comprises a table top, two substantially J-shaped frames mounted in connection with the table top, said J- shaped frames including tubular arms mounted in the upper tubular brace members of the chair frame in support of the table unit in both of said operative and stored positions, one of the arms of said J-shaped frames including longitudinally spaced apertures, and one of the upper brace members having means operatively engaging the apertures of said last named arm in adjustment of the table unit when in operative position.

9. A chair as defined in claim 1, wherein said handle frame is U-shaped in form, and means detachably coupling lower sides of said handle frame with said rear frame.

10. A chair as defined in claim 1, wherein said last named pair of wheels have a swiveled mounting in the rear frame.

11. A chair as defined in claim 10, wherein said last named wheels include braking means.

12. A chair as defined in claim 1, wherein the last brace tubes of the frame are upwardly inclined at the rear portion thereof to dispose rear ends of said brace tubes above said last named pair of wheels.

13. A chair as defined in claim 1, wherein upper portions of the front and rear frames are inclined toward each other, and lower ends of side members of the front and rear frames are perpendicularly arranged in parallel relationship to each other.

14. A chair as defined in claim 3, wherein the footrest frame includes a transverse foot supporting plate.

15. A chair .as defined in claim 3, wherein movement of the footrest frame into operative and inoperative positions is checked by the crossbrace tube joining the brackets.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 597,878 1/1898 Crandall 280-47.4 2,790,484 4/1957 Pollack 280-47.4

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

C. C. PARSONS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A UTILITY CHAIR OF THE CHARACTER DEFINED COMPRISING FRONT AND REAR U-SHAPED FRAMES JOINED BY UPPER AND LOWER TUBULAR BRACE MEMBERS JOINING UPPER AND LOWER SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID FRONT AND REAR FRAMES, A SEAT, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE SEAT ON UPPER PORTIONS OF SAID FRONT AND REAR FRAMES, A TABLE UNIT DETACHABLY AND ADJUSTABLY COUPLED WITH THE UPPER BRACE TUBES OF THE FRAMES FOR SUPPORT OF THE UNIT IN OPERATIVE POSITION AT THE FRONT OF THE SEAT AND STORED POSITION BENEATH THE SEAT, A HANDLE FRAME SUPPORTED IN CONNECTION WITH SAID REAR FRAME AND ARRANGED REARWARDLY OF SAID SEAT, A PAIR OF WHEELS SUPPORTED IN THE LOWER PORTION OF SIDES OF THE FRONT FRAME, AND ANOTHER PAIR OF WHEELS SUPPORTED IN CONNECTION WITH LOWER SIDES OF THE REAR FRAME. 